Beauty and the Beast
by Lady Lylia
Summary: A songfic about Tanis and Laurana as children. I own nothing that isn't mine. Please R/R! :)


Tanis stood dully against the wall, nervously stretching his stiff limbs. He hated balls like these, as much for the frippery as for the haughty elf lords that could not pass him without a glare in his direction. He never expected to have a good time among all the gold trim and pointed ears. The best he could hope for was a quiet evening in which he was completely ignored. Not the most exciting way for a not-yet-adult to spend his time.  
  
~ Tale as old as time  
  
True as it can be  
  
Barely even friends  
  
Then somebody bends  
  
Unexpectedly ~  
  
Amid all the gleam and shine of the court, something stood out, caught his eye. A brief glimpse of silk, the color of a spring leaf, danced across Tanthalas's vision, time and time again, flitting about as though it were a leaf blown in the breeze. To avoid paying attention to the formalities of the occasion, Tanis allowed himself to watch the darting flash of emerald cloth.  
  
Suddenly, with hardly any warning, that green was standing scant feet away. Tanis found himself gazing into the eyes of his adopted sister, Laurana, a perfect match for the dress she wore. "Greetings, Tanthalas," Laurana whispered, her voice a mixture between shy and daring. Gossamer strands of honey streamed from her pale head, tucked behind her long and pointy ears, down her willowy frame, easily reaching her waist.  
  
"Greetings, Lauralanthalasa," Tanis replied, bowing with an outward formality and an inner smile. She looked a little younger than he, about the same age he was half a decade ago. For elves, that was a small difference, but a visible one all the same. He stood a foot taller, his wavy auburn hair reaching his chin, covering his less pointed ears. He clad in a simple silk garment that made him look more elven, yet at the same time showed off the very human muscles on his chest.  
  
Laurana smiled innocently at her playmate from her youth, a childhood so recent and yet so distant somehow. Tanis gave her a faint smile in return. They had not really spoken recently, though they had been the best of friends once. But even that former closeness did not ease the awkwardness between them now.  
  
~ Just a little change  
  
Small to say the least  
  
Both a little scared  
  
Neither one prepared  
  
Beauty and the Beast ~  
  
Tanis and Laurana stood there, just nervously staring at each other. For the first time he could remember, Tanis really looked at her eyes. They were even more green than spring growth, alive and vital and impish and shy, all at once. He was drawn to those eyes.  
  
Laurana looked away first. She had never been shy around him before, and Tanis could not fathom why she was now.  
  
The minstrels began to play, a tune that was soft and gentle and slow and kind, older than the oldest elves, a tune from before Silvanos built the first cities, from when all elves were but savages in the trees. A song about love and companionship. Laurana lifted her head again, met Tanis's eyes. "Would you care to dance?"  
  
Tanis gaped for a second. She wants to dance with me? All the pure, full elves at this ball, and she wants to dance with me, the ugly half-human? "Yes, I'd like that." Tanis held out his hand to her, led her onto the floor.  
  
~ Ever just the same  
  
Ever a surprise  
  
Ever as before  
  
Ever just as sure  
  
As the sun will rise ~  
  
From his throne, Solosteran stared at his daughter and his adopted son, who had clasped hands and were now slowly swaying to the gentle melody. So startled he rose in his seat, an unhealthy flush across his face. His wife patted his hand, and he asked angrily, "Quisalas, darling, what is our daughter doing?"  
  
She just laughed, a sound like crystal chimes in the breeze. "Why, she's dancing, Speaker."  
  
"With Tanthalas?!"  
  
She laughed again, "Yes, my consort and love, with Tanthalas. Are you so naive as your daughter's affections?"  
  
Solosteran just stared at his wife, his jaw agape, and sputtered, "She's, she's interested in that, that-!" He began to quietly rage, "I should never have taken him in. Humans and mixed breeds are but beasts, animals, compared to elves."  
  
"My husband, you make too much of one dance. It is but a childish infatuation, nothing more. Mark my words, it will pass. I danced with scores of elf lads that way in my youth, and so will she."  
  
"And if it does not pass?"  
  
"It will pass, Speaker, it will pass."  
  
~ Tale as old as time  
  
Tune as old as song  
  
Bittersweet and strange  
  
Finding you can change  
  
Learning you were wrong ~  
  
"Laurana, everyone is staring!" Tanis whispered in a hiss. They were dancing just like all the other couples, holding hands and swaying softly together.  
  
Laurana giggled serenely, murmuring in reply, "You are starting at shadows!" Tanis shook his head, for he could see the almond eyes glaring at him from all directions, and then he put it out of his mind. What else could he do but dance?  
  
Tanis could not think straight. He could not look away from Laurana, from her green eyes, her golden hair, her pale skin. She seemed celestial, holy, sacred, beautiful. Why hadn't he ever seen her that way before? She had always been the pest, the little girl too young to join in their games, but old enough to try and tag along. Now, she had entranced him. He didn't understand, was not sure if he wanted to. All he knew was that he wanted was for the dance to go on forever.  
  
~ Certain as the sun  
  
Rising in the east  
  
Tale as old as time  
  
Song as old as rhyme  
  
Beauty and the Beast ~  
  
They did not speak after that. Instead, they simply swayed silently together, holding hands, like all the other couples on the golden ballroom floor. Tanis did not dare open his mouth, afraid his voice would betray him, say something he would regret later. He was not a true elf, what he was thinking could never be. Why did she dance with him? He was a hideous half-breed, and she was the most beautiful elfmaid to grace this hall in centuries. Yet she chose to dance with him. Tanis did not question, he did not wonder. He simply let his dreams soar as he felt her body lightly touching his.  
  
That no one had interrupted their dance thusfar was a hopeful miracle in Tanis's eyes, a hope he did not want to test, a miracle so fragile that if he spoke it would shatter like glass. Instead, he just treasured the moments as they came, the feeling of her willowy body so close to him, the lilac scent of her hair, the gentle warmth of her palms touching his.  
  
He refused to ask Laurana the question that burned in his heart, why she was willing to dance with him this way, why she wasn't with a purebred elf. He was afraid that if he did, the elf princess would remember the truth about her adopted brother and walk away. And though Tanis had never felt this way before, he knew he did not want Laurana to walk away.  
  
~ Tale as old as time  
  
Song as old as rhyme  
  
Beauty and the Beast ~  
  
The last chords of the ancient love song slowly chimed out, leaving Tanis and Laurana standing there, holding hands. Eyes that were made of spring growth stared into eyes like old bark, and they both smiled hesitantly. Laurana stood up on tip-toe, her eyes closed. The elfmaid leaned close and sqeezed his hands. It took Tanis a second to realize what she was silently asking for, but by then it was too late.  
  
"Laurana? Could you and I have the next dance?" Porthios asked, in a tone of voice that left only one reply available.  
  
Laurana gave Tanis a sweet smile. "Yes, of course, dear brother," she replied innocently, as though nothing were wrong, as though Porthios was not going to seek out Tanis after the guests left for some 'brotherly' talk. Somehow, though, he knew Laurana knew.  
  
Porthios swiftly led Laurana away, her bright eyes twinkling merrily, leaving Tanis standing there with his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape. He was not sure exactly what had just happened, but he found himself staring at Laurana as she left him without looking back. In mere moments, Tanis Half-Elven had forgotten his name, his mixed heritage, even little things like up and down. In a daze he walked back to the wall he had been perched against not long ago Anyone who saw him then would not recognize the somber half-elven lad, for just then he was smiling and humming strands of that sweet old song.  
  
~ Tale as old as time  
  
Song as old as rhyme  
  
Beauty and the Beast ~ 


End file.
